Mechanical shoe cleaner door mat



Feb. 8, 1966 R. R. DARBY 3,233,266

MECHANICAL SHOE CLEANER DOOR MAT Filed June 17, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1FIG. I se 3 FIG2 I W \\\\\\ll)l \\,\|1V\U\\\\\\\! 52 I4 4 6 I V 5o MAL`Iy 4- A 9-6 Il Ylq; l E. Il i /Q d HV u l I I y1 02534 SWE@ i i; 40 uwn 26 6 "I 38 58l 6o "j f" I6 /q willi@ 'I I 'I 42 3B A l Y- IMA/TOR. M7RAYMOND R. DARBY 'Z/ E /f//i, l i C Feb. 8, 1966 R. R. DARBY 3,233,266

MECHANICAL SHOE CLEANER DOOR MAT Filed June 17, 1963 Flaws 50 46 8/.0

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RAYMOND R. DARBY Feb. 8, 1966 R, R, DARBY3,233,266

MECHANICAL SHOE CLEANER DOOR MAT Filed June l?, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 5IOO ,34 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY YMOND R. DARBY Feb. 8, 1966 R. R. DARBY MECHANICAL SHOE CLEANERDOOR MAT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ma OQ @E @Q NQ @Q ONE:

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INVENTOR. RAYMOND R. DARBY Filed June l?, 1963 ATTORNEY United StatesPatent lice 3,233,266 Patented Feb. 8, 1966 3,233,266 MECHANICAL SHOECLEANER DQR ll/IA'I Raymond R. Darby, 6016 SE. Firwood, Portland, Greg.Filed Enne 17, 1963, Ser. No. 289,163 4 Claims. (Cl. 15 37) Thisapplication comprises a continuation-impart of application Serial No.194,298, tiled May 14, 1962, for Mechanical Shoe Cleaner Door Mat, saidapplication Serial No. 194,298 now being abandoned.

rFhis invention relates generally to shoe cleaners, and is moreparticularly concerned with an improved, mechanically operated shoecleaner and door mat.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a novelmechanical shoe cleaner and door mat.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novelmechanical shoe cleaner and door mat which is automatically activateddue to the weight of an individual im-posed thereon, and which in oneembodiment has a delay feature wherein activation is not accomplisheduntil a short interval after the individual has stepped thereon.

Another object is to provide a shoe cleaner and door mat which in oneembodiment has brush means operative in a longitudinal arcuate movementand associated with control means acting to stop the brush means at oneend of its arcuate movement after the user has stepped off.

Another object of the present invention is to pro-vide a novelmechanical shoe cleaner which is effective to aid physical scraping ofones shoes and includes means whereby womens shoes with pointed toes maybe readily cleaned.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novelmechanical shoe cleaner and door mat including means for powerope-rating a brush device in free movement in a scrubbing or scrapingposition with respect to the undersurface of a users shoes.

And yet a further object of the present invention is t provide a novelmechanical shoe cleaner which is readily and economically installed,easily and highly satisfactory and practical for the purpose inte-nded.

T-h se together with other objects and advantages which will beco-meapparent to those skilled in the art from. consideration of thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein anexemplary embodiment is disclosed; like reference numerals indicatingsimilar parts in the respectiveviews.

In the drawings:

FiGURE l is a top plan lview of ra first embodiment of the novelmechanical shoe cleaner and door mat, portions being broken away for thepurpose of showing details; the relative .position of a users feet beingshown by phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is `an enlarged vertical section taken substantially on theplane of line 2 2 of FIGURE 1, portions being broken away, the left handportion showing the inoperative position of the appara-tus and the righthand portion showing the operating position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged veitical section taken substantially on theplane of line 3 3 of FIGURE l, portions being broken away in order toshow details;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan View of a second embodiment of the presen-tdevice, with portions broken away;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged, foreshortened, sectional view taken on the line5 5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary and foreshortened sectional viewtaken on the lines 6 6 of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 7 7of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8 8of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE -9 is a wiring diagram of operating control means for theembodiment of FIGURES 4-8.

Before referring to the drawings in detail, it will be understood thatthe novel shoe cleaner may be supported on yany suitable support surfaceor may be installed in a suitable accommodating recess in a doorstep,for example.

Referring to FIGURES 1-3 of the drawings, a first embodiment of thenovel mechanical shoe cleaner is indicated generally at 10, andcomprises a base 12, a support grid 14, and a power-operated brush-assembly 16 operatively mounted in the base 12 beneath the support grid14.

rThe base 12 is shown to be rectangular. Other shapes could be used,however. The support base includes on the bottom 17 thereof a removablecatch pan 18 which will receive debris scraped and brushed from a usersfeet F. The manner in which the catch pan 18 is removed may be through alateral opening (not shown) at one side of the base 12 and grid sidewalls.

The base 12 has mounted on the bottom 17 a suitably rated electricallydriven motor 29 having a vertical drive shaft 22 to which is lsecured acrank arm 24 having a terminal, vertical pin portion 26.

The base 12 includes opposed side walls 28 and 3l); see FIGURE 3, uponwhich are journaled on inwardly extending pairs of spaced shafts 32 and34, respectively, roller elements 36 and 38 which will reciprocablysupport the g-rid assembly as it is reciprocated by the crank arm 24 aswill subsequently be described in detail.

Mounted on the wall 46 of the base 12 is a control switch 42 having acontrol lever 44 disposed beneath the grid 14 in the path of travelthereof and normallynot engaged thereby. The control switch will beoperatively connected to the motor 20 in any suitable manner foractivating the motor 2t) when the weight of a user is imposed on thegrid 14; see FIGURE 2 and the positions of the grid wherein theleft-hand portion of this view indicates the inoperative position of thegrid and the righthand portion of the view indicates the operativeposition.

The grid 14 includes depending side walls 45 telescoped on the sidewalls of the base 12, and includes spaced, vertically extending gridbars 46 between which debris may drop. Intermediate the bars 46 aresegmental bars 48 which are so spaced as t0 prevent womens pointed heelsfrom becoming scuifed and stuck in the spaces. The bars 46 and 43include upper serrated edges 52 to permit physical scraping of a usersshoes as the brush assembly is mechanically reciprocated. Although thebars 48 are shown as being segmented, they can extend the full length ofthe space between adjacent bars 46.

The base 12 includes support ledges 54 adjacent the corners upon whichare fixed coil springs 56 engaged at the upper ends thereof by the grid14 and normally support the same out of engagement with the lever 44 ofthe control switch 42. The springs 56 will be compressed as seen at 56in the right hand side of FIGURE 3, to cause automatic mechanicaloperation of the brush assembly 16.

The brush assembly 16 comprises a rigid base plate 58 apertured at 6% topermit debris to descend into the pan 1d, the base plate beingreciprocably supported at opposite edges by the rollers 36 and 38. Thebase plate 58 includes a downwardly opening slot 62 disposed normal tothe direction of reciprocation, and receiving the vertical pin 26 of thecrank arm 24 therethrough. The slot 62 may be formed in a suitablebearing material 64 retained by an undercut slot 66; see FIGURE 2.

The base plate 5S includes a plurality of spaced rows of bristles 68which project into and above the spaces formed between adjacent scraperbars 46 and 48; see FIGURES 2 and 3.

Briefly reviewing the operation, the grid 14 is normally supported abovelever 44 of the control switch 42. When a users feet F are disposed ongrid 12, he may scrape his feet on bars 48, 50, and the bar spacing willprevent the damage entry of womens heels therebetween. When the usersweight is imposed on grid 14, the springs 56 are compressed as seen at56', the switch 42 is closed, motor 2t) will be activated to cause crankarm 24 to reciprocate. The slot 62 will provide a lost motion connectionwith the crank arm and the bristles 68; see FIG- URE 2, will brush theusers shoe soles and the users shoes will be adequately andsatisfactorily cleaned.

Referring now to FIGURES 4-9 of the drawings, a second embodiment of thenovel shoe cleaner comprises a'base member 70 having a bottom wall 72,end walls 74 and side Walls 76. The device also includes a support grid78 and a power operated brush assembly 8i).

The base 70 is open at the top and has an outwardly directed peripheralilange 82, FIGURES 4 and 5, for supporting the unit in a suitable recessof a supporting surface 84. Secured integrally to the inner surface ofthe rear Wall of the base '70 and down from the top thereof is a support86 in the form of an angle bar. Secured integrally on the inner surfaceof the front wall of the base 7i), in the same plane as support S6, arecorner supports 88 in the form of angle tabs.

The support grid 7S comprises a front top plate 89, lateral downturned,front and intermediate flanges 90, a rear angle bar member 91, and sideframe members 92 which as seen in FIGURE 7, have an angularconfiguration to produce a longitudinally rigid element. Secured to thesupport grid 78 is a plurality of longitudinally disposed, parallel gridbars 94 having upper serrated edges 96. The entire support grid 78 isfreely supported on the rear angle bar support 86 and on the forwardcorner supports 88, the surface of the support being substantially liushwith the top of the base 7i). A pair of springs 98 are disposed betweenthe front supports 88 and the support grid 78 and are of suiiicientstrength to maintain the lower edge of forward liange 90 in slightlyspaced relation from the supports 88 whereby the grid is depressed atits forward end into engagement with the supports 88 when when a personsteps on the support grid. This downward movement causes the forwardliange 90 to engage the arm 100 of a switch 102 selectively located soas to close a circuit to operating means when a person steps on thegrid, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

Brush assembly 80 has front angle bars 106 and rear angle bars 108,these bars being arranged in opposed relation and supporting thereon aplurality of longitudinally disposed brush holding bars or plates 112located in their longitudinal disposition intermediate the grid bars 94,each of such bars supporting a plurality of upwardly extending brushelements 14 which as will be seen are adapted in an operating functionto project above the top of the grid bars 94.

The brush holding bars 112 are removably mounted on the frame members 1%and 108 and such is accomplished by front and rear latches 116 and 118,respectively, secured to the said frame members. Front latches 116 eachemploys a pair of spring tabs 128 engaging opposite sides of the barsand also each employs a right angle top projection 122 to form a socketfor the front end of its bar which prevents straight upward movement ofthe latter. The rear latch members 118 comprise resilient fingers 124also carrying spring tabs 120 for engaging opposite sides of the bars.Latch members 118 have at their upper ends offset latch portions 128adapted normally to engage the top surface of the bars 112 to lock thelatter in place but also being adapted to be retracted to permit thebars to be lifted upwardly at the rear end thereof and removed from thefront latch pocket. Thus the brush assembly bars may be removed forcleaning the brushes, renewing them, or for other purposes.

The brush assembly 80 has upright corner posts 132 to which is pivotallyconnected, by means of pins 134,

links in turn pivotally connected by pins 138 to the side frame members92. By this structure, the brush assembly is suspended in the basemember and is adapted for oscillation, as will now be described, in alongitudinal arcuate path between the full and dotted line positionsshown in FIGURE 5.

Such longitudinal oscillating and arcuate motion of the brush assemblyis accomplished by a motor 142 operating a drive shaft 144 through asuitable gear reduction box 146, FIGURE 4. Integrated with shaft 144 isa crank arm 148 pivotally connected to a drive link i150 by means of astub shaft 152 on the arm 148. Drive link 15d is pivotally connected tothe front frame member 106 of the brush assembly through the medium ofan upright lug plate 15d integrated with said member 186. A stub shaft156 connects the plate 154 to link 150.

Upon operation of the motor the crank arm 148 rotates in the directionof the arrow 158 in FIGURE 5. This rotation of the crank pushes andpulls the brush assembly in an oscillating motion on the links 136 andsince the bottom mounting pins 138 for the brush assembly are mounted inthe stationary side frame members the links 136 when operated betweentheir full and dotted line positions in FIGURE 5, in the direction ofarrows 1&1) and return, move the brush assembly in an arcuate path. Ineach position of the brush assembly, with the exception of itsforwardmost and rearwardmost position, the tops of the brushes 114project above the top of the grid bars 94, a forward movement of thebrushes being designated by the arrow 162 in FIGURE 5 and the uppermostposition of the brushes being shown in dotted lines in the same figure.

Brush assembly 80 carries at its leading end a switch engaging linger164 adapted for engagement with an arm 166 of a switch 168 mounted on aplate 169 depending from grid top plate 89. The purpose of this switchis to stop oscillation of the brush assembly in its forwardmost positionafter the operator steps off, as will be more clearly illustratedhereinafter.

With regard to the operation of the present device reference is made toFIGURE 9 which shows a wiring diagram incorporating the drive motor 142,the actuating switch 102, and the stop switch 168. Also incorporated inthe system, however, is a solenoid 170 operating a brake 172 for themotor 142 the brake stopping the motor when the circuit to the motor isbroken, and a time delay 174.

With greater particularity to the power system employed there are feedlines 176 and 178. Line 178 is connected directly into the time delay174 and line 176 is connected thereto but first leads through theswitches 162 and 168 connected in parallel. Upon the closing of the timedelay, the circuit to the motor 142 as well as to the solenoid 17@ forits brake 172 is completed through the feed line 178, time delay 174, awire 180 leading from the time delay to both the motor 142 and brakesolenoid 1711, and back to feed line 176. Switch 182 is a normally openswitch and switch 168 is normally closed. This latter switch is openedby engagement of the linger 164 against arm 156 in the forwardmostposition of brush assembly 80. 1n the wiring diagram of FIGURE 9 theswitches 102 and 168 are shown in open position which indicates acondition wherein no one is standing on the support grid and the brushassembly is forward to open the switch 168. In this deenergizedcondition of the system the brake 172 is set on the motor 142.

In operation, a person steps on the support grid 78. This depresses theforward end of the grid downwardly against the action of springs 98wherein this end of the grid then rests on the supports 88. In itsdownward movement the grid engages arm 100 of switch 192 to close thelatter. This permits current to flow to the time delay mechanism 174wherein after a selected time, for example two or three seconds or suchtime to allow a person to get both feet on the grid before the motorstarts,

the time delay mechanism is closed to permit current to flow to motor142 and at the same time to energize the solenoid and withdraw thebrake.

The motor thus oscillates the brush assembly in its longitudinal arcuatemovement. In this shoe cleaning operation the brushes travel upwardlyabove the top edge of the support grid to clean the soles of the shoes,the elevated portions of the shoe soles as well, and side portions ofthe shoes.

Each time the brush assembly reaches its forwardmost position it ofcourse opens the switch 168 but since a circuit is complete throughswitch 102 as long as the person stands on the grid the device willcontinue to operate. When the person steps off the grid, the switch 102is immediately opened but it is apparent that since switch 168 isnormally ciosed it will not open until the brush assembly reaches itsforwardmost position. Thus the motor will operate until the grid reachesits said forwardmost position wherein the switch 168 is opened and thecircuit to the motor is broken.

By the power drive system illustrated the device is automaticallyactuated, after a slight delay, when a person steps on the support grid78. The delay accomplished permits the person to firmly set himselfbefore the brushes start operation. Furthermore, since the device isstopped after the last operation at its forwardmost position, the personstepping thereon will always have a rm footing on the support gridplates 94 rather than on the top edges of the brushes. Furthermore it isnot possible for the person stepping thereon to bend over any of thebristles and pinch them between his shoe and the grid bars whichobviously would cause damage to the bristles.

Debris swept from the shoes falls downwardly between plates H2 and intothe bottom of the base. A pan 18 may be placed on the bottom of the baseto catch such debris. Since the grid assembly is freely mounted in thebase, and attached thereto only by the drive link 150, said grid may betilted a suicient distance with its rearward portion uppermost to insertand remove the pan 18.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made without departing from the spirit of the invention and thereforethe invention is not intended to be limited to what is shown in thedrawings and described in the specification but only as set forth in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A mechanical shoe cleaner comprising a hollow support base, gridmeans supported in said base in a stationary position, said grid meansincluding a plurality of parallel, laterally spaced bars the upper edgesof which are arranged to support a person in standing position thereon,a brush assembly in said base beneath said grid means, said brushassembly being supported on said base for longitudinal, arcuate,oscillating forward and rearward movements whereby the upper edge ofsaid brush assembly projects above the grid means in a portion of itsarcuate movement to clean shoes supported on the latter, electric powermeans in said support base operatively connected to said brush assemblyfor operating the latter, an electric circuit in which the pover meansis operated, and switch means in said circuit mounted for engagement bysaid brush assembly as the forwardmost position of the latter andarranged to open the circuit to said power means at said forwardmostposition of the brush assembly.

2. A mechanical shoe cleaner comprising a hollow support base, gridmeans supported in said base in a stationary position at one end, springmeans on the base supporting the other end of said grid means wherebysaid grid is arranged to move downwardly at said one end when a personsteps on the grid means, said grid means including a plurality ofparallel, laterally spaced bars the upper edges of which are arranged tosupport a person in standing position thereon, a brush assembly in saidbase beneath said grid means, said brush assembly being supported onsaid base for longitudinal, arcuate, oscillating forward and rearwardmovements whereby the upper edge of said brush assembly projects abovethe grid means in a portion of its arcuate movement to clean a personsshoes engaged with the grid means, electric power means in said supportbase operatively connected to said brush assembly for operating thelatter, an electric circuit in which said power means is incorporated,first and second switch means arranged in parallel in said circuit, saidrst switch means being normally closed and mounted for engagement andopening thereof by said brush assembly at the forwardmost position ofthe latter, and said second switch means being normally open and mountedfor engagement and closing by said grid means in its downward position,whereby said power means is activated upon the closing of said secondswitch means and remains activated until the second switch is firstopened followed by the opening of the rst switch.

3. The shoe cleaner of claim 2 including a time delay in the circuitbetween said second switch means and said power means whereby theactivation of the latter is delayed upon closing of said second switchmeans.

4. The structure of claim 2 wherein said power means comprises a rotary,vertical drive shaft having a radial crank lever, and including aterminal, vertical pin, said brush assembly including a downwardlyopening lost motion slot receiving said vertical pin whereby rotation ofsaid drive shaft results in reciprocation of said brush assembly.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS l,36l,068 12/1920Karro 15-36 X 2,577,294 12/1951 Aben 15-37 2,647,271 8/1953 Ryzenga15-37 2,649,599 8/1953 Leadingham 15-37 3,084,361 4/1963 Outlaw 15-363,115,653 12/1963 Fresh -et al. 15-37 FOREIGN PATENTS 146,453 7/ 1936Austria.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

1. A MECHANICAL SHOE CLEANER COMPRISING A HOLLOW SUPPORT BASE, GRIDMEANS SUPPORTED IN SAID BASE IN A STATIONARY POSITION, SAID GRID MEANSINCLUDING A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL, LATERALLY SPACED BARS THE UPPER EDGESOF WHICH ARE ARRANGED TO SUPPORT A PERSON IN STANDING POSITION THEREON,A BRUSH ASSEMBLY IN SAID BASE BENEATH SAID GRID MEANS, SAID BRUSHASSEMBLY BEING SUPPORTED ON SAID BASE FOR LONGITUDINAL, ARCUATE,OSCILLATING FORWARD AND REARWARD MOVEMENTS WHEREBY THE UPPER EDGE OFSAID BRUSH ASSEMBLY PROJECTS ABOVE THE GRID MEANS IN A PORTION OF ITSARCUATE MOVEMENT TO CLEAN SHOES SUPPORTED ON THE LATTER, ELECTRIC POWERMEANS IN SAID SUPPORT BASE OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID BRUSH ASSEMBLYFOR OPERATING THE LATTER, AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT IN WHICH THE POWER MEANSIS OPERATED, AND SWITCH MEANS IN SAID CIRCUIT MOUNTED FOR ENGAGEMENT BYSAID BRUSH ASSEMBLY AS THE FORWARDMOST POSITION OF THE LATTER ANDARRANGED TO OPEN THE CIRCUIT TO SAID POWER MEANS AT SAID FORWARDMOSTPOSITION OF THE BRUSH ASSEMBLY.